The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for managing heterogeneous storage devices, and more particularly to a network based system and software for monitoring and managing storage devices in a network environment.
Network computing systems typically require a variety of devices to construct and maintain a working storage system. In addition, companies with large networks typically have a number of different storage systems, many of which can be manufactured by different companies and/or run on different versions of operating software. Storage system devices may include, but are not limited to, host adapters, I/O chips, disk enclosures, and bridge controllers, to name a few.
Each of these components traditionally are managed by proprietary software that is supplied by its manufacturer. In addition, there are a number of third parties which have developed network management frameworks, such as Hewlett-Packard""Open View, IBM""s NetFinity, and Computer Associates"" Unicenter. Unfortunately, however, while these third party frameworks provide great benefit to the management of applications, servers, and network equipment, they have little success in managing storage devices because no single standard exists for configuring and monitoring storage devices produced by different manufacturers, as well as different versions of storage devices produced by the same manufacturer. Standards such as desk top management interface (DMI) and simple network management protocol (SNMP) are able to manage simple devices such as host adapters and the like, but they fall short when applied to complex devices such as disk array controllers. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, it is not likely that a standard for managing disk array controllers will be created in the future, because unlike host adapters and disk subsystems, each disk array vendor is constantly releasing proprietary features to distinguish itself in the marketplace. Thus, what is needed is a management framework which can monitor and manage all types of storage systems and devices on a network including complex disk array controllers and their associated storage systems.
According to the invention, a system for monitoring and managing devices on a network comprising one or more managed devices connected to the network and storage means for storing a device management application program associated with each of the managed devices. In addition, the system includes a management station, which is in communication,with each of the managed devices across the network, and the management station is in communication with the storage means. When a user wishes to monitor, configure or manage one of the managed devices on the network, the user preferably will select the managed device to be managed, and the management station will retrieve from the storage means, the device management application program associated with that managed device. By the management station processing the management application program for the particular managed device, the management station allows the user to monitor the status of the managed device, as well as change the configuration of and fix errors with the managed device. Because managed devices may operate with different control software or different versions of the same control software, each management application program associated with a particular managed device is configured to communicate with the control software for the associated managed device. Thus, by a management station processing different management application programs for each of the managed devices, one or more management stations can monitor, configure and manage any device on the network.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the managed device(s) comprise storage systems, such as RAID storage systems, or the like.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the management station preferably comprises a Java compliant web browser or other suitable Java run-time environment which can process Java applets. In addition, the device management application programs preferably are Java programs or applets, which can be processed in a suitable Java run-time environment, such as a Java compliant web browser. Thus, regardless of the operating system structure of the management station (i.e., Windows, UNIX, Macintosh, or the like), the management application programs can be run by the management station. Therefore, with the present invention, an organization is not restricted to a particular operating system environment or network architecture.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the management station preferably includes a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows a user to visualize the association of all of the storage systems and other devices on the network. In addition, as the user selects one of the storage system devices on the network, the graphical user interface will display the physical configuration of that device, as well as the status of the device. The user then can use the interface to submit error recovery commands, system reconfiguration commands, and other suitable storage system management commands to the selected device.
Preferably, in communicating with the managed device, the management station, and in particular, the management application program being run by the management station, sends remote procedure call (RPC) commands to the device. The managed device controller residing within the managed device enclosure, residing in a device external to the enclosure, or residing on a computer server attached to the managed device receives the RPC commands and converts them to device specific commands. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, devices manufactured by different companies, typically will require different management frameworks. Thus, it is in advantage of the present invention that one or a combination of a few communication protocols can be used for all managed devices on the network.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description of preferred embodiments and claims when considered in connection with the figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the figures.